93 Explorer Sport slave cylinder connector won't stay

[nateman7097]

I just replaced the clutch and pressure plate on my truck. While the tranny was out I pulled out the slave cylinder and inspected it closely. The boot looked fine and there was no noticeable wear. I reinstalled everything went to start it up and could not depress the clutch. After inspection I noticed that the fitting that goes from the hose to the slave keeps coming out. The fitting is the type with a metal retainer that goes around the slave and over the collar of the fitting.


I tried to take the metal retainer clip and clamp it a little more closed for a tighter fit, but the pressure fitting still pops out.

I was wondering if either I should change the hose, or if there is a reason that there may be enough pressure in the line to make the fitting pop off.

 

[Anime]

First off - you should ALWAYS replace the slave cylinder with a brand new one, preferably OEM Motorcraft, when the tranny is out for a clutch replacement. The wear is internal, and the slave cylinders are such a pain to have to drop the tranny to change that it makes more sense to do it with the clutch rather than wait until the slave fails to drop the trans AGAIN just for the slave...and then drop it just for the clutch again while the slave is still good.

You may have messed up the locking clips that hold the hose end into the slave end, or messed up the nylon ring on the hose end that you push into the slave fitting to unlock the connection. If the black o-ring is not on the hose end, it may have come off and that's what's stuck in the slave end and preventing a connection.

Use a mirror and light to try and look in the slave end and see whether the locking clips are bent/broken, there is an o-ring in there, or if something else is wrong.

 

[nateman7097]

Firstly, thank you for the advice.

But, there are no clips internal to the fitting. If you look at the first photo posted you will see that there is a black retainer clip that goes over the slave cylinder fitting that catches the skirt on the hose fitting. The nylon ring that goes around the hose fitting is only there for the older style fittings to remove it. To remove the hose fitting on the newer style you simply remove the black retainer clip. There are no internal locking clips to this newer style.

Do you know of any reason that the line would have enough pressure to force the fitting apart given the retainer clip is correctly installed?

 

[Pollarican]

I know this is an old thread but in case someone is looking at this for research:

There are two different style Slave Cylinders between 1991-1994 in the Explorers. The only difference between them is the fitting on the cylinder that connects to the hard hydraulic line. If you have an earlier hydraulic line, and slave designed for a later model - the two will push together and seem like they want to lock, but never actually snap in place. The earlier line is acutally a slightly different shape in terms of bend as well, but either line will work on the first gen body/ chassis of any year.

I initially installed a slave for a 91 into my truck and grabbed the pedals/ line etc. from a 93. The slave wouldn't snap in, so I had to buy a 91 hard line and swap it behind the Master cylinder. After doing that it just popped right in.